Angular-field magnetic phase diagram of b-plane at 4 K of YAlGe-type TbAlGe with zigzag-chain

Abstract

Orthorhombic YAlGe-type TbAlGe is expected to have an interesting magnetic anisotropy due to zigzag chains of the Tb ions. We have grown the single crystal for the first time and measured the AC magnetic susceptibility and specific heat from 1.3 K to 60 K, and the vector magnetization for the b-plane up to 7 T at 4 K. The specific heat and AC magnetic susceptibility indicate that there are two antiferromagnetic transitions at T N1 = 38 K and TN2 = 7.6 K, where the transition at T N2 is first-order like. The magnetization curve at 4 K for the a-axis shows a large hysteresis, and metamagnetic transition appears at H 1 = 1.6 T in the field increasing process, and another metamagnetic transition at H2 = 3.5 T in addition to H 1 in the decreasing field process. The magnetization curves of the b- and c-axis are linear up to 7 T. The measurement of vector magnetization at 4 K reflects the hysteresis of the magnetization curve, and there is a large hysteresis. From this vector magnetization measurement, we have made the angular magnetic field phase diagram at 4 K for the b-plane. In this phase diagram, there are phase lines that cannot be obtained by ordinary magnetization measurement.